Dupage Policy Journal

Mike Strick, the Republican opponent to state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Aurora) for the District 84 House seat, has lost his bid for the seat.

Strick, a small business owner in Naperville, ran a campaign that adhered to the so-called "10 Commandments,” demanding term limits, a statewide balanced budget, fair mapping, pension reform, funding for education and vital social services, and the removal of Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago).

He is disheartened that Illinois strayed little from its current leadership.

“I just believe Illinois is mired in corruption and I just don’t understand,” Strick told the Dupage Policy Journal. “I just can’t understand it. To see (Donald) Trump winning some very heavily Democratic states…for Illinois to be left out in the cold – and I really believe that we will be left out in the cold with the way that our state is in as far as Democratic control.”

His opposition to the Democratic control and Madigan being house speaker is reflected in his Nomoremadigan.com site and pledge in which he asked  Republican and Democrat candidates to vow not to re-appoint Madigan.

Strick is especially troubled that voters were not open to some of the issues and reforms he believed plagued the state.

“Something’s got to change,” he said. “I really just can’t understand why people want to keep paying high taxes, people losing businesses left and right, not having term limits, not having districts that are equal in consistency of Republicans and Democrats. It’s just mind-boggling.”

Strick asserted that he worked relentlessly to win and just came up short.

“I just see no change coming whatsoever in Illinois,” he said. “It’s just unbelievable … it’s the same thing over and over again with nothing to look forward to. I just don’t believe Illinois is going in the right direction. I mean, I left everything out there. I didn’t hold back. It’s not because I didn’t try. It’s just something that is hard to believe.”

He said that he may run again in two years, but would need more support.

“I would consider it, but I would need a lot more help than I had received,” Strick said. “It was almost like a grassroots campaign. I believe we only spent $25,000. When you are going up against an incumbent who has unlimited funds from Mike Madigan, it’s tough to win.”